Awning and canopy structures



Nov. 13, 1956 H. E. zERBE AWNING AND cANoPY STRUCTURES Filed Aug. 26,1953 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent O AWNING AND CANOPY STRUCTURES Howard E. Zerbe, DuBois, Pa. Application August 26, 1953, Serial No. 376,722

3 Claims. (Cl. Ztl-57.5)

This invention relates to awning structures and particularly to aventilated awning structure which does not drip during light rains orwhen a rain has ceased as do conventional awnings.

One of the major problems in conventional ventilated, as well as otherawnings, particularly when used as door canopies is the fact that theydrip on the landing or on the stairs adjacent thereto during light rainsor when a rain has just ceased. This makes entrance to the doorwaycovered by the canopy unpleasant and even dangerous, particularly duringfreezing.

A n object of the present invention is to provide an awning structurewhich does not drip during light rains and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an awning structurehaving means collecting the water from the awning surface anddischarging it at the side of the awning.

A further object of this invention is to provide a ventilated awningstructure in which water is collected from both levels of slats anddischarged at the side of the awning.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a dev1ce of thischaracter with an invisible gutter arrangement in order to carry offdripping rain water.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent froma consideration of the following description and the accompanyingdrawings in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of an awning structureaccording to this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly cut away of the awning of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of an awning of this invention installedover a door to act as a door canopy.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a ventilated awninghaving substantially parallel, spaced apart upper slats xed to spacermembers 11, 12 and 13 attached to frame members 14. Each of the upperslats 10 is spaced from the next slat by a Ventilating slot 15. Lowerspaced apart slats 16 are provided beneath the Ventilating slats 16 andare fixed to the spacer members 11, 12 and 13. Each of the lower slatsis spaced from each next adjacent slat by a Ventilating slatcorresponding in width to that of slats 15 between the upper slats: Eachof the upper slats 10 and lower slats 16 is provided with U-shapedchannels 17 in the surface thereof to prevent water from running to theedges and to direct it longitudinally of the slat. A slot or gap 18 iscut in each of the upper slats 10 excepting the two outside ones asshown in Figures 1-3. A similar slot or gap 19 is cut in the bottomslats 16. A gutter 20 is fixed to the bottom sides of the lower slats 16and to the front frame member 14 directly beneath the gaps 1S and 19 inthe two layers of slats. The gutter 20 is closed at the ends andprovided with a drain outlet 21 at one or both ends to carry the waterfrom the gutter 20.

Side slats 22 are provided on the sides of the frame 14 to form thecanopy or awning side. Valance slots 23 are xed to the front of theframe to complete the awning and hide the gutter 20.

When installed on a building as for example as the door canopy shown inFigure 4 the structure operates Patented Nov. 13, 1956 as follows: Whena light rain falls on the surfaces of the upper slats 10 and lower slats16 the water collects and runs down the slats and particularly in thechannels 17. When the rain water reaches the gaps 18 and 19 it fallsinto the gutter 20 from which it is carried by the drain pipt 21 thuspreventing dripping from `the end of the canopy onto the steps orlanding directly below. When a heavy rainfall occurs the large amount ofwater falling on the slats 10 causes a sufficient ilow of water suchthat it jumps the gap 18 and passes on to the end of the slat 10 and isdischarged in an arc of substantial radius, well away from the stairs orlanding. Any water which does not have sufficient momentum to jump thegap 18 is collected and carried away by gutter 20.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated anddescribed above and in the accompanying drawings ti will be understoodthat it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the followingclaims.

l claim:

1. An awning structure comprising a pair of spaced apart sloping watershedding surfaces one above the other, each of said surfaces made up ofa plurality of spaced apart substantially parallel members havingparallel openings therebetween, the members of one level lying invertical alignment with the openings of the other level, a transverseslot in each said surface adjacent the lowermost edge extending from apoint adjacent one side to a point adjacent the other side and formed byremoving a narrow portion from each member in the same vertical plane,and gutter means connected to said surfaces beneath the slots receivingwater therefrom and discharging said water to one side of the structure.

2. An awning structure comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on abuilding above an opening therein, a pair of vertically spaced apartwater shedding surfaces one above the other on said frame, each of saidsurfaces made up of a plurality of spaced apart substantially parallelelongated member having parallel openings therebetween, the members ofone level lying in vertical alignment with the openings of the otherlevel, a transverse slot in each said surface adjacent the lowermostedge extending from a point adjacent one side to a point adjacent theother side and formed by removing a narrow portion from each member inthe same vertical plane and gutter means on the frame vertically beneaththe transverse slots receiving water therefrom and discharging saidwater to one side of the structure.

3. An awning structure comprising frame means adapted to be mounted on abuilding above an opening therein, spaced transverse members on saidframe, the top and bottom edges of said transverse members lying insloping spaced apart parallel planes, a plurality of spaced apartsubstantially parallel slot members xed transversely to each of said topand bottom edges forming parallel openings between the members, themembers of one plane lying in vertical alignment with the openingsbetween the members in the other plane, a transverse slot extendingthrough each member of each plane excepting the outside member on eachside of said plane, said slots lying in the same vertical plane oneabove the other and adjacent the lowermost ends of the members andgutter means on the frame vertically beneath the transverse slotsreceiving water therefrom to discharge at one side of said structure.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,557,775 Yancho June 19, 1951 2,619,692 Langley et al. Dec. 2, 19522,666,236 Odom u Ian. 19, 1954

